UN 'deeply concerned' by developments in Yemen as 8 vehicles seized from humanitarian hub
Agency warns rising hostilities constrain aid delivery while partners assist more than 2,700 households
The UN said it was “deeply concerned” Thursday after unidentified parties seized eight humanitarian vehicles from its operating hub in the Yemeni port city of Mocha amid an escalation in fighting.
"Our colleagues there confirmed that eight UN vehicles were seized from our humanitarian hub in Mocha this morning, amid recent developments in the city," deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters.
Haq stressed that the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) views the developments with grave alarm, emphasizing that “the last thing the people of Yemen need is more fighting and more displacement.”
Haq warned that the seizures severely constrain life-saving operations and hamper relief agencies trying to deliver aid to vulnerable populations.
Despite access barriers, emergency response teams have reached more than 2,700 households, though Haq stressed that securing additional international funding remains critical to assist remaining communities.
He renewed appeals for all parties to uphold international humanitarian law, demanding they protect civilians and permit them to reach safer zones, and allow unimpeded passage for relief convoys.
Military escalation along western coast
The UN's remarks came as western Yemen experiences rapid military shifts, with media outlets reporting Houthi advances toward areas surrounding Mocha and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a vital shipping corridor linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
Yemeni media reported that Houthi rebels moved into positions across the Hays and Al-Khawkhah districts in southern Al-Hudaydah province following withdrawals by government and allied forces, though Anadolu could not independently verify the claims.
In response to the movements, Yemeni government forces announced the formation of a unified command center south of Mocha.
Yemen has seen renewed military escalation between government forces and the Houthis since early July, after years of relative calm following a truce that began in April 2022.
The Houthis have controlled the national capital, Sanaa, and large areas of northern and western Yemen since September 2014, while the government and allied forces control areas in the south and east.
Since March 2015, Saudi Arabia has led a coalition supporting Yemen’s government against the Houthis, who are accused of receiving support from Iran.
